National ICH: Zhangzhou Pien Tze Huang

Originating in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Pien Tze Huang has a history of nearly 500 years. According to research, a royal physician could no longer tolerate the tyranny of the imperial court and fled to Zhangzhou in Southeast China's Fujian province with the secret recipe for Pien Tze Huang.

Based on the secret recipe, the former physician used precious Chinese medicinal materials to make pill lozenges, which were suitable for both internal and external application, treating heat toxin, swelling, and pain.

At that time, Pien Tze Huang lozenges were cut into slices for patients to take; only one slice could cure heat toxin, swelling and pain. Therefore, the medicine is known as "Pien Tze Huang" ("Tze" is a modal particle in Southern Fujian dialect; "Huang" means heat toxin, swelling and pain). The medicine's applications expanded from treating external wounds to addressing liver and gallbladder disorders.

Over the centuries, as the people of Zhangzhou migrated to Southeast Asia, Pien Tze Huang also spread overseas. In 1992, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Administration of State Secretes Protection classified Pien Tze Huang as a top-secret national treasure to safeguard its formula and production techniques from disclosure.

The intricate art of crafting Pien Tze Huang remains shrouded in mystery, with its formula and production methods still undisclosed, preserving its status as a revered traditional Chinese medicine.